A late 1700's Splint holder. It has a carrying hook,lovely twisted metal stem and spring action fastening to hold the splints of wood for lighting and alternative to the rushlight holders.
A lovely feature is how the iron work protrudes out on the underside of the base, confirming that the metal work and base are original to each other. The underside of the base is slightly concave so it stands correctly.
Splint holders or Peermans were often used in Scotland where there were more pine trees or firs to burn.
 
It measures 30cm h x 10cm w at the base.